


Possession viewed through the style of inside out

by SpectrumStormblade



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Torture, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 16,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23219182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpectrumStormblade/pseuds/SpectrumStormblade
Summary: Clouse usually had several projects running- only the best ever got shown to Chen. The half-dragon half-oni prisoner wasn't one of the successes, that didn't mean he didn't suffer. As if amnesia wasn't enough Chen sealed a cursed spirit inside his body to avert disaster when studying portals to the cursed realm- a sand elemental and former mercenary desperate to find and protect his little brother Morro. Things go predictably badly. As for the prisoner- well it seems like he only ever manages to change who his captor is and he's not exactly keen on Schmorro's plan to find Morro. Or any of the ghost's plans- ergo the permanent headache accompanying living mostly half-possessed. When told from the prisoner's and Schmorro's point of view the story is experienced through their five respective emotions each.
Kudos: 7





	1. Clouse is underappreciated and in a bad mood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Ninjago, only my own characters and where the story ends up. Please don't copy to another site.

When Clouse attempted to summon an oni what he ended up with was rather more disappointing, the male creature before him had closed eyes and despite scaled, silver skin and long, striking silver hair was otherwise normal in appearance. It wore simple black trousers but nothing else and its only reaction to waking up in chains was to groan and blearily half open its glowing purple eyes, growling feebly. For a creature of ancient legend said to embody destruction and violence the mild response underwhelmed him. If that was an oni then he didn't get what the big deal about them was, upon waking up the creature hadn't even attempted to break free of the chains.

Master Chen wouldn't be interested in such a boring oddity, so he decided to progress with another of his projects. This one would yield far better results he was sure; it might take several attempts but he would learn how to access the cursed realm. Then if he ever saw the traitor Garmadon he could send his rival where he belonged for daring to steal Clouse's glory all those years ago during the serpentine wars, only five had passed but his hatred had increased by tenfold over the period of his banishment for supporting Chen.

An expendable test subject to use as an anchor point for the ritual would be easy enough to find- in fact he had one right in front of him, as a creature of magic the thing would suffice quite nicely in fact. That way if he failed Clouse lost nothing anyway.

Sneering at the unsatisfactory monster he began preparing the ritual over the next few days. The creature's nature conveniently meant as far as he knew it didn't have the same bodily needs as a human did and so he didn't bother acquiring and food or water, it could see perfectly in the dark so clearly possessed a bare minimum of some different abilities.

Immortality was clearly wasted on it considering how it acted ignorant of its species main goal in life- to destroy and lash out at the world. So far the most engaged he'd seen it was when it fully opened its eyes, briefly free of the lethargy that inhabited it, while his pet snake hissed as it patrolled past the cell as Clouse drew out a chalk circle. Only confirming his decision to not show it to Chen was right, his master was only interested in flashy or interactive things after all and in a distinctly foul mood since his wife's health started deteriorating near the end of her pregnancy.

The first time Clouse opened the portal something came out from the other side- a ghost that, with no time to prepare, the best he could do was bind it to the captive creature. Immediately the change in the creature was visible, its eyes faded to a blue and its skin rippled as the silver scales that had covered it melted to become pale white skin resembling a human’s. Only a split second later the screaming started.

Over the following years the erratic screams from the cell only increased the gathered cultists’ faith in Clouse’s powers and he subtly encouraged the various rumours. His lip curled, Chen didn’t pay it any attention aside from gleefully exclaiming he’d never had a traitor in the cult on the island (Clouse wasn’t fairly credited for his contribution, he’d served his master for decades but Chen was as dismissive as ever).

By the time Chen decided his daughter was ready to fight and Clouse had deciphered the ritual his master desired the creature had been Clouse’s side project for over a decade and hadn’t physically aged a day. Clouse had almost discarded the creature when he finally succeeded in opening a one way portal to the cursed realm but kept it around to observe what the unstudied effects the binding between the creature and spirit induced.

The combined monster appeared to stabilise further the longer it stayed merged and spent less of its time unaware the longer it remained in chains, as if building up an immunity to poison and the more it futilely tried to escape, staring longingly at the ceiling above it despite having only the spirit’s memories of what the world outside it’s cell looked like. It’d told him itself when it first spoke common tongue between the curses it uttered in a mangled mesh of two voices speaking at once that only one of its half retained past memories, the spirit half if he recalled correctly.

Clouse had only noted the observation down and left it to its misery again. It needed all its energy for the training it was used in for Chen’s elemental daughter and the guards, Clouse always watched to ensure it didn’t break the bond signified by the luminous green collar and shackles on its wrists and to restrict its influence to solely within the arena it fought in. After the first nearly successful escape attempt, leaving ten corpses in its wake, when out of chains and unsupervised the creature was too much of a threat to leave under anyone else's guard (the purple tattooed cultists were no match for the creature and even Skylor had yet to defeat it in a straight fight, only his magic could contain it securely).


	2. Cellmates and plots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {Words like this indicate the prisoner is talking mentally}
> 
> [Words enclosed by these brackets mean Schmorro is]

{Why can't we recall a single thing about our lives before this hell! Why are curses so irreversible and easy to cast!} Anger snarled, slamming glowing fists on the control panel in front of him.

{You seem to be underestimating the lengths our red-robed sorcerer captor has undoubtedly gone to, he's steeped in black magic, he reeks of it. Curses are permanent because they're so difficult to cast.} Sadness pointed out disinterestedly, fiddling with the glowing green bracelet on his wrist.

{You're sadness not depression, is it really that difficult to hold onto hope we can break it one day?} Joy remarked.

{I'm with Sadness, living with the constant fear we'll be possessed and our counterparts'} Anger snarled at Schmorro's emotions' mention {similar frustration with our situation. We've learnt nothing that could indicate our condition is fixable.} Fear lamented.

{Just shut up and stop arguing, we already do enough fighting as it is, we all die daily in our constant battle for control of our body against Schmorro's emotions, spend most of our time in iron chains that literally poison us repressing our powers at the command of our oh so wonderful captor, are forced to fight in a pit every week to train useless guards and the sorcerer's master's daughter and live in the mercy of a curse that randomly flares up causing extra bouts of magical agony leaving us screaming for hours on end. As if we need to fight each other as well.} Disgust sighed, massaging his temples.

An ominous creak from the door at the edges of their control room diverted the five emotion's attention, Anger spun around snarling his hands preemptively glowing, Fear whimpered slightly clutching the table, Joy's mouth pressed into a thin line as he stood up, Disgust sneered at the opening door crossing his arms and Sadness sighed heavily, sinking into his seat.

[Miss us?] Schmorro's Joy (or Joy-S as Disgust had dubbed him) cheerfully intoned from the gateway between their fused consciousnesses. Despite having a combined memory store, islands of personality all sitting alongside each other and only one control panel for their body there were two screens for watching the outside world in separate rooms. Schmorro's emotions didn't have any way to influence the outside world via their body from the room they were allotted so opted to break into the room inhabited by the prisoner's emotions whenever they wanted to and had recovered from their last mental clash. [Before this gets messy thought you should be aware that we can hear Clouse approaching with a guard.]

Grudgingly Anger waved his hand at the permanent five extra seats at the control panel specifically for the green skinned emotions, one of the few reprieves from their physic war was when Clouse visited the cell, neither of them could appear to look weak and so they were forced to bargain with one another about their actions, Schmorro's emotions were granted full control willingly only when it came to Clouse's appearances.

Disgust snorted as they watched their appearance change from silver scaled skin with glowing purple eyes and long silver hair when under their room's control to the white smooth-skinned, blue eyed and thankfully still long, silver haired appearance they wore when both emotions held seats. Their final appearance adopted when Schmorro had full control was the one he found most distasteful. They had human-toned, smooth skin glowing green eyes and black hair. Why it was black none of the them knew as Schmorro had blonde hair inherited from his father not the black hair of his mother, younger brother Morro and younger sister Lorro.

Sadness was the first to leave Sadness-S the sole emotion of Schmorro's with his controls activated, leaving Sadness' own a deactivated grey. [Doubt I'll need them but good you know your place after all.] Sadness-S made a lackluster taunt.

[We have more important things to concern us with.] Disgust-S dismissed once all of the nameless prisoner's emotions had in turn deactivated their own controls.

"Defective oni you've got a new cellmate, try to leave them in one piece once you're done with them." Clouse stated grandly before ominously chanting a spell and ordering the guard accompanying him to drop the unconscious body he'd brought before unlocking the chains shackling the prisoner to the wall. The door was locked and bolted behind their two captors as the apir left.

Disgust-S snorted after they were left in the pitch black yet again with the unconscious human. [Think they expect us to tear him to pieces or ravage him?]

[Whatever it was for I can't wait to tear Clouse to pieces.] Anger-S growled.

{As much as I hate you, I have to agree.} Anger muttered darkly, reaching out to reactivate his controls once the sorcerer had left. {Now unless you feel like giving us all a headache allow us five to handle the next bit.}

Their body clambered to its feet, stretching slowly to work out the kinks in their joints at the direction of Fear and gently propped their cellmate against the wall, head on their body's shoulder. Inhaling softly they identified his scent- a comforting mixture of earth and cake and distinctly masculine, so definitely a he (Fear felt it was important to ensure initial visual assumptions were correct).

[A little presumptuous?] Scoffed Disgust-S, the usual leader of Schmorro's emotions, although Anger-S and Joy-S would switch as the role of deputy in wrenching control from the prisoner's emotions and tormenting them. Sadness-S tended to mostly communicate via grunts or the occasional half-hearted taunt and Fear-S had only spoken once for as long as their control rooms had been fused, when he stated that the only thing the five of them feared was not ever seeing Morro again and that if anyone got in their way they'd regret it.

{Odd time to develop manners. Besides I remember from Schmorro's memories humans become distinctly cold and uncomfortable in places like our lovely cage.} Disgust reasoned. {Better he awake and know that we're here immediately than be surprised by our presence.}

Disgust alongside Anger led the other five emotions, the combination needed to curse and denounce their enemies. Sadness usually spent the most time as the sole controller of their body, leaving it lethargic and despondent for large portions of the twenty four hours they remained awake for (as well as night vision, immortality and magic that saw to his bodily needs automatically the oni required no sleep), not that day and night held any meaning in a dark cell underground and far from the sun. Fear had only ever acted in tandem with another emotion, an almost constant moderator of their actions when an emotion other than sadness steered. Joy had barely touched his controls during all of the time they could remember, the occasional smirk at their captors expense the extent to which he manipulated their body.

When the tan skinned human beside them awoke, he swallowed audibly and shifted uncomfortably against their side. "Ah, sorry about that, I'm assuming you don't have night vision so figured you'd appreciate not being jump scared. If you don't mind then want to clarify why someone as good-looking as you is stuck in a cell?" Inquired Fear (the prisoner's emotions had all been slow to take the controls upon realising they had no idea which of a set of five usually handled friendly interactions, eventually Fear had said he'd try as caution around strangers was warranted).

Fear's eyes flicked to Schmorro's emotions who remained uncharacteristically silent, after a short pause Disgust-S spoke up. [Is it that hard to believe we have no interest in your flirting?]

Anger-G snarled at the snide comment but quietened huffily at Disgust-G's shrugged dismissal of Schmorro's words, the green haired emotion perfectly communicating their combined denial of such a thing (attempting civility with a possible ally had nothing to do with romance). Joy-G interjected in Guy's defence too, uncharacteristically upbeat. {Well I think that pursuing happiness is important and making an ally could only be a good thing, it's the only good thing to have happened to us in years and I refuse to be shamed by anyone for embracing opportunities that come our way.}

Their cellmate hesitated before replying. "I don't think looks have anything to do with it, I caused trouble in the factory they put me in after they stole my earth elemental powers, the true aim of the tournament they lured my friends and I into with the knowledge our nindroid friend was on the island. What are you in here for?"

Swearing at their dimming controls Anger snarled, they couldn't afford an episode. Nevertheless the brightness of their controls only diminished until the only colour remaining on the control pad was sadness with a blue-grey buttons and fear dull purple ones. 

Disgust reached to yank on a lever and forced his controls to work despite the lack of colour, any actions made by their body he commissioned lacked life and interest and were purely mechanical but regardless he pushed through the decreased efficiency. "Not entirely sure really, I don't have my own memories from before Clouse summoned me as part of some ritual. I'm part oni at the least and immortal but apparently, it's not quite what he wanted. The ghost I share a body with has the elemental power of sand."

"Ghosts are real!" The former earth elemental yelped.

Leaping at the opportunity for answers Anger-S seized control of the body, Anger simultaneously jammed a hand down on his controls in a desperate effort to shut down their already moving vocal chords. "Of course, there's a whole realm of ghosts. Considering you said all of the elemental masters are here who's my successor and the master of wind?" The intensity of Schmorro's interrogation was somewhat negated by the strangled tone of their voice.

Their cellmate obliged slowly. "Well there aren't either, so I imagine for sand it's only for active elements and the master of wind just didn't come? Honestly, I didn't know those were elements before now or how many there are overall then, my sensei hadn't told any of us ninja of the other elements." 

Sadness-S let out a scream, Fear-S sank to his knees clenching his sword, Anger-S swung his sword towards Anger as he lashed out in pain, Joy-S bowed his head and Disgust-S snarled and cursed. Schmorro's little brother Morro wouldn't have missed a fighting tournament for the world. Anger knocked Anger-S away from the control pad in retaliation and the two emotions began fighting furiously. Quick to follow Anger’s lead Disgust engaged with his counterpart emotion to lead him away from the control pad, both of the fears followed their lead despite their more prevalent aversion to conflict. Only four emotions remained seated.

Oblivious to their internal conflict their cellmate continued. "I realise I didn't introduce myself, I'm Cole Terra, what's your name?"

Sadness answered in monotone. "Well I share a body with Schmorro Proditerat his brother was a wind elemental called Morro. I don't actually have a name myself though... no one to give me one really considering I can't remember mine and wouldn't accept one from Clouse or Schmorro. Just imagine what Clouse might come up with, currently he uses defective most."

Cole hummed before speaking again. “In that case I could suggest some for you to choose from?”

Joy stared in shock at his glowing controls before warily reaching toward them, a short burst of warmth spread through the shoulder Cole still leant against. “Don’t bother, you can just choose one.” Their tone sounded as dismissive and unbothered as usual but lacked some of the sharpness that usually accompanied their words.

“Alright then, um... I’m correct thinking you’re male right?” Joy had them hum affirmative, it didn’t really matter much to the prisoner but he answered to clarify at Cole’s behest. “Well then, um... Guy, do you think there’d be a way for us to escape and help the others who’ve also been imprisoned?” United behind a common goal Schmorro’s Anger, Fear and Disgust stopped trying to dismember or maim Guy’s.

They gave a reply once all ten were seated again. Joy-S was the one to impart details, glee spilling into their voice as they fitted the green lightbulb into the control pad. “We have a plan.” Joy-G grinned alongside him, they would enjoy this.


	3. Cole could at least pretend to want to escape

The next morning when Cole awoke Joy-S informed him of the plan, Anger-G hadn’t even complained at Schmorro's emotion's presence for once as all ten were working towards a current goal, even the fears and sadnesses were filled with determination. They’d almost escaped once; they could do it again. Not even their cursed collar flaring up for a whole hour in the night dampened their resolve. It was when the guard bringing Cole’s food through the cell door entered that Guy struck, Disgust-G at the controls to deliver a swift but brutal swipe to the cultist’s throat with silver claws.

Their cellmate stared at the corpse in shock once his eyes adjusted to the presence of the dim torchlight from outside the cell piercing the black shroud that had blocked his eyes from truly seeing what Guy looked like. With long silver hair, skin so pale it looked like it’d never seen the light of day (for all Guy’s emotions knew it might not have), blood dripping from silver claws on his left hand and wearing only a pair of short black trousers and a green collar he must have been a sight. “You act like you’ve never been in a fight before and ninja are assassins this can’t be the first time you’ve seen a corpse.” Disgust-S said disbelievingly. Schmorro hadn’t specialised as an assassin over his career as a mercenary but he knew that much.

“My friends and I use our training to help defend Ninjago from threats like the skeletons, serpentine and overlord controlled robots. Not kill people when there are other ways to win. Murder is wrong.” Cole responded, still looking at them with shock, wariness and judgement.

{He’s looking at us as if we’ve disappointed him somehow. Like Clouse does!} Anger-G snarled, fists glowing.

[Do gooders, think they’re so noble and wise for trying to impose their views onto others. They don’t have any room to judge us.] Disgust-S remarked candidly.

[Everyone betrays you the minute they feel it benefits them, we only trusted Morro as he was the only one we knew could never benefit from our death as he loved us as much as we loved him. Told you your little crush could only ever let you down.] Joy-S smirked gleefully.

Sadness-G buried his face in his hands and rocked in his seat slightly. [Pathetic.] Sadness-S murmured.

Fear-G stared at his shaking hands and whispered: {I understand why allies are more terrifying than any enemy could ever be. They can hurt you in a way no cultist ever could.}

Joy-G looked down at his blackened controls and laughed hysterically. {We really are broken now.}

[Be useful and focus on getting us out of this hellhole faster.] Anger-S snapped.

Disgust-G’s lips curled as he reached for his dimmed controls (their controls had resumed their usual dullness again, since Cole they’d appeared to brighten ever so slightly). {We’ll find a new name later, right now isn’t the time for anything but leaving this forsaken island once and for all.}

“Do you want to free your friend and escape or not? We can’t afford to leave anything to chance, freedom is something worth killing for, besides I’m not a murderer- you have to be human and kill a human to become one after all. I for one don’t plan on staying chained up any longer, so are you going to put him into the doorway and temporarily stop the spell trapping me inside or not?” Guy enquired curtly, voice flat, at the direction of Disgust-G.

Once both of them stood outside the cell and walked down the corridor to reach Cole’s ally’s prison summoning the purple energy was easy. Anger-G shattered the door down with a single kick and brusquely smashed the chains holding the robot in place with a rock they picked up from the floor (as muted as their anger was the pervasive sense of betrayal remained).

They didn’t wait inside the cell to watch Cole’s reunion with his friend (Zane, the ice elemental). Not that it mattered to them anymore, not when Cole had looked at them as if they were one of the enemies he’d fought to protect Ninjago, as if by not being fully human and fighting for a chance to look upon the sky they’d failed a test judging if they were worthy of loyalty. They’d known that they didn’t matter to Cole much but to be considered reprehensible for fighting for their freedom by him was something else. No, Guy was better off not watching Cole reunite with his friend Zane that he'd travelled halfway across the world to save ([Melodramatic perhaps, we don't exactly know what the map's like currently.] Disgust-S rolled his eyes, Disgust-G steadfastly ignored him).

Once both of the heroes (Anger-G scowled at the reminder they were part of a team they had yet to meet utterly devoted to defending Ninjago, then turned around and lunged at Anger-S once he realised they'd done so simultaneously) were in the corridor on their feet Guy ushered them forward impatiently. Clouse's alarm in the spell had been triggered only seconds ago if not earlier, they'd be lucky to escape pursuit as it was (Guy didn't mention that he could already hear Clouse's pet snake awaking in the distance, the serpent wasn't very close yet).

Following the nindroid's (Zane's, Sadness-G hunched over slightly watching Cole support the former ice elemental as they ran, rapidly imparting details of what he'd missed) tracking system they were almost out of the labyrinth of tunnels when the huge purple snake came into sight behind them. Cole's sudden emergence of his conscience almost killed them all when he declared he didn't feel right leaving the other prisoners behind, only a well-timed, glowing blue, shield erected by Fear-G saved him and Zane from the snake's jaws. "Keep running and don't look back." Fear-G hissed through gritted teeth as Guy shot a purple bolt at the tunnel ceiling to delay the serpent longer.

Behind the purple clad emotion Anger-G and Anger-S disappeared in a flash of red light. [I'm going to kill them myself later once they reform, right now we can't afford anyone dying!] Disgust-S snarled irritably.

Disgust-G barely paid him a glance and focused on keeping them running despite their slow reacting controls, lips pursed as he reminded them that they'd only beaten Clouse once they were in the sky. {Ugh, that's it, Fear-G you can handle it, if there's any time to be afraid surely; it's now.} Guy's fear nodded diffidently but coaxed colour into his controls with steady hands and smoothly kept them running.

Disgust-S took the chance when they arrived at a T-junction to utilise their vocal cords. "If you still want to go back take the left turn, we'll take the right and draw the snake away from you two."

"Okay. Be careful." They only grunted in response (there was no point wasting their breath) and swung to the right, pace quickening as Disgust-S hissed the foulest curses he knew at the snake following them.


	4. Guy and Schmorro make a temporary truce

Fear-G didn't let go of their controls until they finally vaulted over the palace walls (Clouse's master really was pretentious) and stood surrounded by fresh, sharp air before the ocean. The ocean. An expanse of blue, green and grey waves that glittered and shone under the orange glow of the sunrise. Liquid fire guarding the desolate rock Clouse's master saw fit to govern and adorn. Schmorro wouldn't ever have escaped on his own without a boat (and boats were risky as a ghost that could be instantly killed by a single bucket of water).

But Guy wasn't human and the sky had been calling him for as long as they could remember. Joy-S glanced in understanding at Joy-G and pulled his influence out from the control pad, beckoning for his fellows to follow him back to their own room, Disgust-S sneered a last insult as he left, Sadness-S trailed behind him muttering a significantly less biting one and Fear-S trudged mutely as always (neither Anger had reformed yet).

Once they were alone Guy's emotions remained reverently gazing at the beauty before them, even Anger-G would be calm beholding them once he regained a physical body (or as physical as mental beings could be anyway). Scales crept back over Guy's skin and his ice blue eyes darkened to their natural magenta.

Disgust-G sat down first, uncharacteristically patient as he awaited the others to follow his lead. Sadness-G fell back into his seat crying silent tears for the years they'd missed, a bittersweet smile adorning his features. Fear-G laughed lightly, a weight lifted from his shoulders as the dullness of the room brightened beyond anything they'd experienced before. The walls were a sparkling lilac with silver glitter decorating them, a far cry from the sooty grey or murky purple that usually coloured their space. Joy-G sobbed freely, tears of happiness that they'd left everything behind them, they could finally be free.

The first personality island of Guy's materialised in the distance, the first core memory they had that was truly their own powering it glowing a vibrant yellow. The island of freedom. Before they'd only had islands shared with Schmorro (fighting being the most notable).

It was Joy-G who directed them forward with a sense of delirious abandonment, Fear-G didn't even flinch as they leapt off the island shores. Guy's hair sinking into silver scales merging with those already on his skin to coat his enlarged body and wings... Two wings that folded out from his back and caught the cool breeze beneath him with ease as he soared across the orange sky, the tang of the sea on his tongue. Only the glowing green collar that grew with him signified he was still bound by chains.

Anger-G had only reformed for a few hours when their cursed collar flared up again, the agony crumpling their wings and leaving them to plummet straight down as they twitched and gasped. Disgust-G staggered to his feet and reached for the sparking control pad, teeth gritted at the current running through his body and around their room (the walls of their mind were a sickly green and charged with raging lightning), similar cries of pain to Fear-G's were audible in Schmorro's own room as Guy's body crumpled before their eyes.

Only Disgust-G's hasty, frail raft that barely looked blue prevented them from sinking below the waves (Guy may not have needed to breathe but trying to navigate from the bottom of the ocean would be a tedious endeavour).

They didn't move for a long time after that as the emotions stared at the dulled grey control room walls left behind in the aftermath.


	5. Trauma isn't ignorable

Finally, I thought we’d would be stuck at sea with only you five for another week at most as punishment for heaven knows what.] Anger-S huffed, ignoring Disgust-G's muttering that the chances of there being an inhabitant were far from certain.

[Well we were a very good mercenary.] Joy-S piped up chirpily.

{I don’t want to go inside...} Fear-G wavered. Eyeing the ancient lighthouse looming above them.

[Coward.] Disgust-S sneered as he yanked the dim controls from Disgust-G then directed them through the doorway.

Anger-G scowled in response but crossed his arms and didn’t lunge for Disgust-S at Joy-G’s insistence. {There’s no need to fight right now, can we at least try and get along? We have a common goal currently.}

Sadness-G sighed. {Why bother? It's all pointless anyway.}

[Well Schmorro has a goal in life so go mope in the back of the mind while we lead instead.] Sadness-S gave a more pointed retort than usual, dull tone at odds with his phrasing.

{You're a ghost you're hardly alive.} Disgust-G raised an eyebrow.

[At least we're not dead internally!] Joy-S barely missed a beat, voice cheery as he threw a dagger at Joy-G who only just ducked in time.

{Can we leave if we're not going to do anything here?} Fear-G tremored, eyeing the ceiling above them with trepidation. Disgust-S scoffed and drove them inwards, searching for a map to lead them to the mainland (however far, Schmorro wouldn't let them rest until they arrived to search for his brother). There wasn't a map at the top or evidence anyone had lived there for some time in all of the areas they searched, it was when they arrived at the basement that things went wrong.

Fear quivered and screamed as they passed through enclosed space's doorway, falling to his knees in the rapidly turning purple control room as their heart rate pitched and breathing increased. Even more surprising was that there was only one purple figure present. With all of the buttons before the nine figures a corrupted purple all of the other emotions were left unable to prevent their fleeing of the stone building to collapse curled up upon rocky outcrop it sat on.

The fear had green skin, mid length purple hair like Fear-G, one blue and one green eye, sandals like Fear-G, trousers like Fear-S, 'Guy' printed in black over a hoodie top and Schmorro's signature hat upon his head.

Anger-G was first to address the unfamiliar emotion by snarling, quickly joined by Anger-S as their voices merged. {[ Who are you and what are you doing in our mind!]} When their eyes flashed both Anger-G and Anger-S had been replaced by a singular figure scowling deeply, a similar mixture of both Guy and Schmorro's respective emotions.

{[ I'm... We're... He's...]} Pupils dilated they shook like a leaf from their position on the floor, their hair covered in dust. {[We won't go inside again.]} They pronounced as they dragged themself onto wobbly legs to face the singular anger in the room.

Sadness-G approached them slowly and held out a pale hand differentiated from Guy's body only by the absence of scars adorning it, speaking in a soft tone devoid of his usual defeatism and instead coloured by sorrow. {We won't until you're ready. Do you think you could give me a name?} The fear took his hand hesitatingly, grip loose as Sadness-G understandingly squeezed it.

The anger in the room snarled but couldn't move from the spot Sadness-S restrained them on. The fear didn't seem to notice them and replied with a more composed voice just above the volume of a whisper. {[Fear-N, for Nitor.]}

Joy-G perked up slightly from his spot. {It means balance, like how you're a balance of Schmorro and Guy's fear so a completely new thing. Which would make you..} Joy-G hummed excitedly as he pointed at the anger. {Anger-N! I can't believe this if we could learn to get along then maybe... Maybe the eternity before us isn't as bad as we'd envisioned.}

Anger-N broke free of Sadness-S's hold and lunged forward at Fear-N, causing the purple clothed emotion to disappear with a rip then a pop, only shortly afterwards Anger-N shimmered red and both angers were left staring at each other, features dark. Surprising no one, they proceeded to fight and simultaneously eliminate the other.

Disgust-S sneered. [I'm surrounded by idiots and cowards. You certainly won't find me merging like either of them did.]

Disgust-G seemed to hold a similar opinion and directed the body back towards the lighthouse, raising an eyebrow when Sadness-G remained rooted to the spot he'd comforted Fear-N, hand still outstretched. {Coming to the panel?}

Joy-G was the one who spoke, tone duller than when his controls had first blackened (they had yet to return to their usual shade). {Why do neither of you ever listen to anyone else? Is it that bad to try getting along for once?} As he finished silent tears fell down his cheeks.

Joy-S finally moved after freezing when Fear-N initially formed, addressing Disgust-S solely. [Trying to become stronger to save Morro... must it cost everything I stand for? We can still search for him if we don't hate ourselves... tch you say Guy's bad...]

[Fine become a traitor, I'm not obliged to do anything and you can't stop me.] Disgust-S said, turning to bicker with Disgust-G again as they explored the lighthouse more fully.

Away from the control pad Sadness-S placed a consoling hand on Sadness-G's shoulder, after taking a deep breath they both gathered the other into a hug and glowed blue leaving a green skinned sadness with heterochromia in their place.

The joys looked at each other awkwardly and scowled then sniped at each other.

{Don't think I've changed my mind about your controlling tendencies.}

[Don't think I've sided with you, I'm still willing to bash your head in, I'm looking out for Schmorro not Guy.]


	6. Echo Zane is an exemplary host

In the end they spent several weeks staying at the lighthouse (after the first day they never again entered the basement and only entered into the very top room by air or climbing the building exterior), their hosts were two rusted robots that cautiously approached them with creaking gears the second day with friendly intentions.

One was a small cleaning robot with a cone shaped head and the other a bronze or copper (it was difficult to tell below the grime, even with Guy's sense of smell both were indistinguishable from the lighthouse walls by scent apart from carrying the faint tang of metal) nindroid remarkably similar to Zane (a thought they tried not to linger on).

Every night Guy would go flying over the ocean (with thankfully few instances impeded by their curse) and during the day they studied maps and notes left behind by the nindroid they referred to as Echo's creator. Schmorro quickly grew bored with the details concerning the technology saying he'd killed a few nindroids in his day so thing's hadn't changed too much, but Guy took to studying them for hours at a time, so by the time they left had mastered his knowledge of everything Echo's creator had achieved across his lifetime. His farewell gift to both robots was rebuilding almost half of them sturdier and to also leave a multitude of spare parts should they ever need them.

Eventually though, Schmorro's desire to seek his brother drove them to seek out the mainland on the maps they'd studied extensively.

The situation with Fear-N and Anger-N had been resolved quickly, with them both reappearing in Schmorro and Guy's separate rooms and not bringing the topic up again (Anger-N had formed a few times since but always fell apart quickly leaving Anger-S and Anger-G in the middle of killing each other while neither of the fears interacted beyond fighting anyway so had no personal dynamic that could be affected).

Sadness-N was a different story. Since forming he'd shown no signs of falling apart and was always able to defend himself if one of the others attacked him, Schmorro and Guy's combined fighting abilities matched only by Anger-N who wasn't stable enough to beat them in a battle of stamina where Sadness-N's investment in the result meant he always had the edge. 

After each attempt to break the sadnesses apart failed the misery they emanated would inevitably cause the whole of the control panel to dim to a muted grey and so eventually the other emotions stopped trying. Schmorro's emotions shunned the fusion completely so it fell to Guy's other emotions to tolerate his presence in their space when Schmorro's other emotions retreated to their separate control room. Joy-G had disapproved of Sadness-N being permanent at first, as he felt that it made his job twice as hard, but let up when it was revealed Guy could still shapeshift into his full dragon form with Sadness-S in the room when fused as Sadness-N. Aside from Joy-G the only other side sometimes civil to them was Fear-G, who wavered between support and paranoia about the implications were.


	7. In which a deal is struck

Ninjago city was far bigger and more advanced than they'd been prepared for, with towering skyscrapers and bustling crowds hemming them in. It'd taken three attempts to enter the city while Fear-G was fretting but eventually the purple clad emotion had come to see the crowds as at least a double-edged sword- so a means to provide safety for them as much as any would be attackers.

Several weeks into studying Borg's technology on rooftops instead of sleeping (with exclusively stolen equipment) and stalking the streets seeking information during daylight hours they finally had a breakthrough- Guy managing to track down a notorious thief by researching articles on the latest thefts. Schmorro had insisted they seek out this Ronin immediately to see what his underworld connections might know of Morro who'd been erased from all of the history books, even ones about his sensei Wu.

The first time they sought him out they camped in an alley they knew he frequented but were forced to seek refuge upon the roof of the building due to their collar flaring up for several hours and missed him passing. Following their unsuccessful attempt at first contact they paid the right people (with mainly stolen money and some from selling a few paintings Guy had made) to arrange a meeting with him, after acquiring appropriate bait. Negotiations were difficult but eventually they set a time and currently awaited Ronin's arrival in the city outskirts, naturally the criminal arrived late.

"I heard you wanted to discuss some business with me." Ronin said. He smelled of cigarettes and dust.

"You heard right, we're looking for information on Morro Proditerat the wind elemental and ex-student of Wu. We're offering our services in certain endeavours you might be interested in." They held up a carefully bound scroll and slowly revealed its contents as the fabled scroll of airjitzu rumoured to be hidden in the cloud realm.

The bearded man whistled. "I'm impressed, I do indeed have information you may find useful. Consider yourself hired. What do you call yourselves?"

"Guy and Schmorro at your services, you can call us Nitor." Joy-S grinned dangerously, eyes lit up by their win.

"Or Nyx when we're like this." Disgust-G intoned dryly, pulling their hood down to reveal their long silver hair pulled into a ponytail as their body shifted to become distinctly female underneath their black camouflage. "Chivalry is so easily exploitable with this appearance after all."


	8. Shapeshifting has a few drawbacks

"Ah, Nyx, I was just telling this good man here about what you did for me last week." The jolly barman in the shady bar greeted as they walked in, distinctive camouflage gear leaving only their blue eyes visible when they nodded back.

[I hate it when you walk around like this. Everyone looks at us differently.] Anger-S grumbled.

{We're exploiting being consistently underestimated, that's exactly the point. Provided we wear the hood up we don't get twice as many inebriated humans attempting to flirt with us. Considering we only frequent three bars, don't accept drinks in any and they're all entirely illegally run you'd think that the regulars would learn however.} Disgust-G said disinterestedly, picking at her nails.

Turning their attention back to the present they just picked up on the end of the barman's sentence. "... and so that's how she managed to retrieve my favourite gun from the middle of the guarded police station."

The man he was talking to looked over at them approvingly. Faint spice in the stranger's scent alongside salty wood suggested that he was involved in the smuggling business that thrived on the docks of Stiix.

[Just get us the information so we can leave and revert to normal.] Disgust-S snapped fists clenched as he muttered profanities about their disguise.

{You sound almost like Anger-S.} Joy-G commented, amusement bleeding through her tone.

Sadness-N stepped up to complete the task, heart heavy in anticipation at the bad news. "So, anything new that might interest me?"

The barman reached to clap their shoulder, at the contact Fear-G froze them in shock. "I'm afraid not love, I have a list of currently sought-after items for you to pass on to Ronin though."

Sadness-N sighed and the controls dulled before the emotions' eyes.

Disgust-S's lip curled but he directed their body to nod neutrally, take the list and leave the bar leisurely.

Anger-S snarled and hit the control pad, leaving faint cracks on the already blackened Joys' controls.

[Do that again and I'll have the thrilling aim of returning the favour.] Joy-S sniped, the cheery tone of his voice contrasted to his dark grin.

Joy-G ignored their feud and attempted to lighten the mood wearily. {Who wants to sort out our disguise for tomorrow?} At the bored, derisive or annoyed expressions she was faced with she smirked. {Fine, we're staying this way overnight and tomorrow we'll wear dungarees, leopard print gloves, heels, sunglasses, a denim hat...} Her description of their future outfit was cut off by the abrupt fighting between the seven other volatile emotions.

Sadness-N laid on the floor and exhaled softly, heedless of the flying daggers in their shared misery.


	9. In which Nitor unwittingly helps the ninja

"We're back." Nyx dropped into Ronin's shop, body smoothly transitioning back to male as they hit the floor.

"Hmm?" Ronin wandered in from the storeroom in the back to see them awaiting him below the open skylight. "Nitor, business go well?"

They nodded curtly and threw him the extra deepstone aeroblades they'd 'borrowed' from an antique weapon collector. The shop owner bustled around, shrewdly examining every spot he placed them in around the room. Only after finishing did he toss the few spare parts to his employee that the cigarette-scented thief had promised to procure, Nitor grunted in gratitude and jumped back up through the skylight, eager to leave the enclosed space and to get back to their possessions (all stashed in the lighthouse that was only ever a portal away). As much as Guy disliked the necessity of portalling for convenience even he admitted they couldn't always just fly everywhere, they drew the line at two portals a day considering their allergic reactions to creating and crossing through the space warping doorways, fortunately they hadn't had to push the agreed upon limit with work being so spread out under Ronin's instruction.


	10. Everything goes to hell and it's Ronin's fault

Fear-N swore loudly as the vengestone and iron net fell upon them, snarling at Ronin through the body. Anger-N was similarly expressive, slamming their fists upon the brightly coloured buttons in front of them to curse their captor bitterly, savage threats rolling off their tongue in abundance promising retaliation the second they could move again (iron poisoning had almost instant effects of sapping their ability to move while the vengestone prevented Schmorro from lashing out with his element).

Ronin stared at them regretfully from his spot sitting upon his desk, watching their desperate, weak struggles to escape, to run to fight back. "You know kid, I truly am sorry, but you know how it is... when debt comes calling you've got to pay up. You've been helpful to have around I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to. Take solace in the fact that they at least won't kill you."

"We've never feared death unlike you, spineless oathbreaker. We don't want your pity or your apologies- just our freedom back." Disgust-N hissed hands clenched into fists so tight as they stared at the screen blood dripped from their palms.

Joy-N sobbed wretchedly and curled into a tighter ball against the wall of their control room. Sadness-N sat silently, watching the scene unfold with empty eyes, expression neutral, the glassiness in their pupils the only sign that they'd in fact disassociated and weren't just as unmoved by life as usual.

Naturally the situation got worse- Nitor startled Ronin as their growling was cut off by an agonised scream that wrenched itself from their raw throat as green electricity from their collar spiked through their pinned body. Out of respect for their former alliance perhaps, Ronin hadn't moved from his spot on the desk while their episode occurred. Once their frazzled controls settled, Sadness-N robotically directed their body to speak again (the inside of the control room was almost completely one shade of grey again and despite trying none of the others could force a response in the physical realm). "Unless you've changed your mind about selling us off get to it already, the faster we get there the sooner we can escape."

Cold dread coiled in Guy's stomach when he heard the next words.

"Escape might not be your priority once you find out who I'm handing you off to- did I mention that I found Morro for you?" Instantaneously Nitor's emotions fell apart, leaving only Sadness-N fused (even then it was barely, the stark differences in Schmorro and Guy's priorities threatening to drive them apart). 

Anger-S stared coolly at Anger-G, in light of the revelation any anger he held was drained away by the thought of seeing Schmorro's little brother again, meeting Morro was worth any price, including freedom. In disbelief Anger-G snarled at him. {You're going to just ignore the fact we're being treated like property again! So what if this time our new captor will be Morro! Nothing excuses what the oathbreaker's done! I refuse to bow to anyone else's whims whoever they may be- I will never stop trying to escape from Morro if all he becomes is another chain. Guy is not a puppet you can just use to live out your own little fantasy life again!} The pair devolved to fighting rapidly after Anger-G lunged at his counterpart.

Disgust-S' lip was still curled at Ronin but he forcibly grabbed the controls from Guy's emotions to speak to the thief. "Try this trick again and I won't hold back, consider your life in my debt and I won't kill you the minute we can walk."

{Just watch, our latest captor is going to die by our hand regardless of what you have to say.} Disgust-G fired back vehemently, raising a long knife to block the incoming sword strike aimed at his head.

"Who is it I'm talking to? Your mercy is appreciated." Ronin drawled.

"Schmorro. Guy won't let this go as easily." Joy-S clarified, beaming as he cheerfully eliminated a subdued Joy-G, brimming with excitement at the prospect of seeing Morro again.

Fear-G fell onto his shaking knees then onto his own well positioned sword as Fear-S cleaned his nails apathetically, boredom etched onto his face as he watched the show unfolding before him.

Sadness-N just stared at their hands as the tears fell, any kind of peace that they'd found in being Nitor had dissolved in the face of Schmorro's loyalty to his brother leaving Guy and Schmorro at each other's throats again- the future ahead of them was a grim one, a relentless battle for control between the two minds and increased pressure to not associate with the other side in the slightest. Loneliness may not be enough to unite the sadnesses forever under such circumstances and things could only get worse if they were separated. Neither Guy nor Schmorro could ever truly be happy with such an arrangement. 

{We'll never stop being in this together while we wear the infernal collar.} Was the only whispered promise they could make to themselves. {For the freedom to be us... we don't even want to remove it.} Sadness-N admitted softly, the shameful words inaudible to all but them in the middle of a mental war.


	11. Things get worse

For as long as Ronin had known them Nitor had held an enviable composure in response to any and all external stimuli, a casual elegance and nonchalance in all of their movement as well as hints of nobility shining through their veil of apathy. Seeing them so unstable had been gut wrenching in a way he hadn’t anticipated, stealing people was rather different to stealing things it turned out (if it had been anyone but Morro that he planned to hand them over to his nerve would already have broken, it was only the knowledge that ultimately Nitor wanted to meet the ghost that allowed him to mollify his conscience). Turning Zane over to Chen had worked out in the end but even the selling of a nindroid who was by all rights a machine and incapable of free thought as far as he was concerned had started niggling at his conscience as he saw the effects on a conscious prisoner first-hand.

Adding the fact Nitor was a reliable ally (a brilliant thief, trustworthy secret keeper and competent spy) the whole business made Ronin feel nauseous even before Nitor started screaming on his shop floor. They'd only ever turned down one mission he attempted to assign them (joining him in the raid on Chen's island) and chaining them up using his observations they avoided all contact with iron handles or objects within his shop felt wrong (Ronin's conscience briefly flared up again, he'd promised his shop could be Nitor's safe haven among the underworld areas Ronin sent them into).

Actively witnessing the curse affect them for the first time as they lay under his net had almost broken his resolve (his self-preservation kicked in though and he remained determined to see the business to its bitter end, half done would only end with him in a body bag, Nitor opposed killing except when defending freedom).

Soul Archer, a ghost with a chain weapon he didn't recognise and Morro (still possessing the green ninja's body) awaited him on a hill, originally the meeting was arranged purely for Ronin to discuss his debt with the passed archer and pay part of it off with the money he'd managed to collect. Swallowing, Ronin reminded himself that with so few allies the ghosts would be pleased to have an ally (a halfway willing one at least), alongside the money he might even pay it off fully.

Landing Rex carefully, he walked up to Nitor, warily removing the chains (he initially left the handcuffs on), when Nitor stretched and drew themself up to eye level on weak legs Ronin let out a small gasp. Nitor's usually pale silver hair and blue eyes were changed, there was a singular black highlight in their long hair pulled into a ponytail and their eyes... both of their eyes were a startling green. Ronin knew that possession left physical signs (the green ninja's blonde hair was pitch black under Morro's possession) but Nitor hadn't ever shown any before.

"Going to take the handcuffs off?" They sneered at him, the iron chains on the restraints clinking. Whatever else they planned to say was lost to his ears as their vocal cords protested, any sounds escaping coming out as a hiss of air and mangled syllables (Schmorro and Guy hadn't tried to overwrite each other like that before as long as he'd known them). Witnessing his hesitation, they sneered. "Rest assured I won't be able to kill you." Ah, it was Guy talking then, he reached forward and removed the cuffs, witnessing the immediate relief pass over their expression for a fleeting second.

"Well lead on. If you're selling my freedom then by all means drag it out." If looks could kill or Guy wasn't mostly possessed then Ronin had no doubt he'd already be bleeding out over the hilltop, before the day he'd have been confident in his willingness to do anything to pay off his soul debt but now were he to answer there might be a split second of hesitation in his claim.

"Who's this then? I thought we were going to work on a deal concerning money and the ninja." Morro said as the ghost's hand slipped to his sword threateningly.

"Whoa, whoa now- let’s not be too hasty. I'm here with the news the ninja trust me, so far as to offer me equal claim over their tea farm so I should be able to join them without question and be ready to steal what you ask for later. As for why... my companion is here, I captured them earlier and they've just agreed to work for you. They've been wandering around half possessed by a cursed spirit that's assured me of their dedication." Placatingly Ronin held his hands up, sweating profusely, thanking the stars he'd always had a way with words.

Narrowing his eyes, Morro surveyed Nitor with barely concealed distaste. "Will they be of any use to me?"

"Gee, I don't know, how about you ask me considering I'm right in front of you." Guy snapped caustically.

Hurriedly Ronin interceded before the exchange could escalate. "They're a damn good thief and fighter and probably know more than you do at present about looking after a material body."

Soul Archer, the unfamiliar ghost and Morro convened among themselves. Morro turned back to face Ronin after a few minutes. “We’ll take them, any name we should use?”

“None of your business.” Ronin’s former employee replied shortly.

Morro scowled. “I didn’t ask you. Hold your tongue or General here will have to encourage you.” Storing away the third ghost’s name, Ronin felt something like bile rise in his throat at Morro’s insinuation. “You’ll have the nights to sort out provisions for this body I’m using, Ronin here says you’re a thief figure out everything yourself, and during the day I expect you to be present and awaiting my commands.”

“And should I need to sleep? Why is it you insist on dragging around a pathetic mortal body anyway, still trying to prove destiny wrong after your Sensei threw you aside? When will you ever be content to embrace who you actually are- just some homeless child who Sensei Wu took pity on and trained for the glory- you’re not the green ninja and never will be, maybe it’s time you make something of yourself without any more lies. Were we not bound together by a curse my counterpart would have long since returned to his stronger ghostly form.” Guy’s calculated nonchalance seemed to cut Morro to the wick, the barbed words hitting their mark (in any other situation Ronin would have been a surprised at the display of cruelty).

Morro snarled and hit his new ally across the face knocking them off their feet, leaving Guy to spit blood into the ground from a crouched position, the smirk present on his former employees’ face only enraged his attacker further. “You’ll be telling General everything about your abilities I want to know between screams! Now follow Soul Archer without another word or you’ll spend twice as long entertaining General. Why are you still here Ronin? Get going before I change my mind and increase your debt for saddling me with a mouthy, useless inconvenience instead of accepting your ‘gift’!”

The human did exactly that, being on the receiving end of Morro’s volcanic wrath was the last thing he needed if he ever wanted to have Soul Archer release his curse and get out alive. Besides he had a tea shop to check on and a new partnership to establish (his old pawn shop was probably already Morro's private base).


	12. Cooperation was never an option

Sadness-G had been unresponsive since their little ‘get to know each other session’ with Morro’s best friend and confidant General. Guy wouldn’t have revealed anything through the torture alone of course but with Schmorro on his case had been forced to answer honestly. Disgust-G had only managed to keep back Guy’s suspected dragon and oni heritage and ability to create portals. They revealed: their weakness to iron, amnesia, immortality (even though they could technically be killed under some circumstances they would regenerate within a day afterwards anyway- they’d tested it once), fighting, technological skills, requirement for no basic human necessities and twin powers of protection and destruction.

Leaning against the wall of Ronin’s appropriated pawn shop all Guy felt was empty watching Morro discuss the symbol he’d created in dust with Wu’s staff(any initial fear at the enclosed space viciously shoved aside): General (holding his chain scythe); Soul Archer (holding his bow); Bansha (holding her sword) and Ghoultar (holding his scythe). Stealing the Allied Armour had been a strategic move on Morro’s part, allowing him to summon whatever ghosts he wanted at will (Bansha and Ghoultar were the latest).

{Are we really going to just stand here and watch?} Anger-G paced hand clasped over a sword handle.

{Any better ideas? If you have any, I’m all ears.} Disgust-G’s usual drawl was sharper at the edges than usual. Guy was sharper now, betrayal from an ally did that.

{At least we’re have the nights free to roam...?} Joy-G’s attempt at positivity trailed off into a question.

{We’re not free to do anything.} Fear-G laughed hysterically, grinning manically. {Not anymore. We can’t even walk out of this forsaken building.} Anger-G and Disgust-G ignored his outburst, simmering in frustration. Joy-G sighed and slumped in his chair. Sadness-G‘S glazed over expression didn’t even twitch.

[Are you five willing to co-operate yet?] Sadness-S inquired morosely. [Disgust-S and Anger-S are in a bad mood with you right now for not revealing who we are to our brother and saying hurtful things but if you came around, they’d be willing to work with you again. Joy-S wouldn’t even care about your initial reluctance if you’d just be reasonable now. Fear-G won’t forgive you for stopping us reconnecting with our brother like we’ve longed to for years but he doesn’t care about you enough to act on any grudge.]

{We escaped one prison only to land in another. I’d have thought after enduring Clouse together you’d be more sympathetic. Now not only is our jailer aware of all of our weaknesses they’re impossible to run from. No, we’ll never accept this lying down. To hell or high water, we’ll fight with everything we have. Without our freedom we have nothing and right now we can’t even move our own hands. Guy doesn’t even have the option to tear this body apart should he choose to. After the lighthouse I thought we had an understanding that whenever we asked, we’d immediately exit a building if breathing became more difficult.} Sadness-G murmured, regret lining his figure as he met Sadness-S’ eyes pleadingly (what for only the two of them knew).

Sighing, Sadness-S shuffled to the door adjoining the two control rooms. [I’ll inform the others that you still refuse to budge. Disgust-S won’t be happy.]

{So what? Guy certainly isn’t. What’ll Disgust-S do anyway- kill us? It’s Schmorro preventing us holding a blade to our own throat so that seems rather pointless, death’s hardly a deterrent. Happiness was never on the table. You’ve done too much, gone too far for us to ever trust you as a part of us again. If Schmorro would rather force Guy into slavery to support Morro on a campaign Schmorro doesn’t even agree with rather than value the truce we had that would make an eternity bound together tolerable then he can rot in this hell with us.} Joy-G barked harshly, for once in total agreement with all of Guy’s other emotions.

Sadness-S turned stiffly and went to relay the message. Almost immediately Sadness-G fell to the ground, wracked by heaving sobs that the others just listened to, their usual barbs at such weakness forgotten. Sadness-N had made their lives easier and the slender hope they’d inspired was the only thing keeping Guy going, retribution and bereavement were no substitutes for companionship, however bad the company may have been.

Solidarity was invaluable when all they had was each other, Echo Zane was in no position to help them miles away in his lighthouse and no human ally they’d made had chosen Guy the minute their interests conflicted, at least all five of them were guaranteed to be forced to stick out everything Guy faced together, unlike their allies they didn’t have the option of walking away. Echo would undoubtedly move on, he was programmed to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves- Guy didn’t come under that category where it counted, Echo would choose others every time as he actually had the power to help them and everyone would always be more vulnerable and in need of help than Guy (Guy was immortal and a capable fighter- death was always seen as the greatest threat one could face, mortals would always be prioritised over him).

Morro’s impatient command broke Guy out of his trance. “We’re going to find a few new toys the ninja hid in a cave- you stay here and guard the staff. Lose it and there’ll be hell to pay.”

Guy’s expression tightened. “Not like I have any choice. Make it quick or I might forget what it was you asked again.”

Anger-S chided Disgust-G for the insubordination as he stalked into the room leading the other four, the green clad emotion just raised an eyebrow and flashed him a rude hand signal. Instantly the inside of the control room was filled with fighting (this time all ten of them participated full-heartedly).


	13. The Ultra Dragon almost dies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics is dragon tongue.

Schmorro's emotions knew better than to try and retain control during that night, Guy had snarled that he was perfectly capable of finding food for Lloyd (as well as fresh clothes and other needed resources- such as winter wear for climbing the wailing alps, a bedroll, drinks and medical supplies) himself and that should the ghost push him any further by moderating every single second of the night as well as the day Stiix would go up in flames. Anger-S had leaned to sneer at such a suggestion but Fear-S held out an arm to stop him, concerned for their brother and Morro's allies camping in the town above the ocean supported only by boardwalks (a strategical decision meaning the ninja would never find them because who would look for a cursed ghost who's main weakness was water in such a location?). [We'll be watching so don't try anything funny.]

Fear-G sighed in relief the minute they left and reached forward to direct them towards the building exit when Morro's hostile voice startled them. "Make sure you don't get back late."

Snorting Disgust-G had them respond in kind. "You never know, perhaps you ought to leave me your phone number."

Once outside Guy immediately slipped into the shadows and became lost to the eye among the shady backstreets, ripping a doorway between realms only once he was sure he wasn't being trailed.

After his coughing fit ended, he surveyed the realm he'd stepped into; it was perfect to fly through, a rocky desert lined by mountains with no witnesses around. Supplies were probably scarce but he planned on returning to Ninjago before the night ended to deal with his task then and hopefully get a message to Echo. In the meantime all he wanted to do was fly (he may still have been on a leash but at least he still could).

As Guy changed into his scaled form his sex changed too, revelling in the texture of the sand beneath her talons she launched herself into the sky and barrel rolled as she plummeted down in a sudden dive, catching herself with ease before hitting the ground. The emotions relaxed slightly, if Schmorro was considering interfering that night he'd have done so as they dived (changing sex and risking death were usually triggers for his interference), it seemed Fear-S intended to follow through with restraining the ghost's anger, joy and disgust.

Roaring triumphantly Joy-G had them dodge through the clouds and glide on the winds over sand coloured mountains, mastery of the sky the dragon's only activity to cling to, that and the control over the body exercised.

{Wait.} Anger-G called out, alarm colouring her tone. Dragon blood assaulted her senses alongside enraged roars. Pulling them into a tight corkscrew Anger-G directed the dragoness' body towards the source of the distress, flaring their wings out, tail stabilising them, to hover above the scene. Anger-G gave an answering roar to the distressed dragon's please for help.

The dragon was four headed, slightly larger than her and rather well-built whereas she was lithe and sleek at the expense of power (as a dragon sex made little difference and male or female she weighed and looked the same), the dragon had beige-grey scales, two massive wings and green back spines. Each head had a different colour of pattern on it: the head furthest left had red fire inspired decorations; the one beside it markings reminiscent of ice; the third from the left brown lines resembling crater marks; and the head furthest to the right looked to have yellow lightning framing their eye.

Joy-G stared. {Think all other dragons look like that?} Disgust-G sent her a quelling glance and the yellow scaled emotion piped down.

If the first dragon they'd ever met hadn't been trapped under a heavy iron net at the time, bleeding from multiple stab wounds staining the sand they thrashed on red, sporting tears up their powerful wings and surrounded by humans in crude contraptions with painted faces she would have called it a relief to meet one. As it was the circumstances were far from ideal (not even factoring in their need to disappear before dawn struck to gather supplies for Lloyd and obey Morro’s blasted curfew).

Unfaltering, she dive bombed the ramshackle vehicles, shooting each with a blast of purple energy that melted them into shrapnel. Beside the contraptions the humans didn't stand a chance at her next attack, barely starting to scream before she snuffed their insignificant lives out. Anger-G shuffled forward to examine the net the larger dragon lay under. Snarling, Disgust-G directed them to circle it in the hopes of finding anchors to release that would allow the dragon to free himself (the dragon was definitely male, despite the strong scents of frozen earth and burnt trees she identified that easily), the dragoness would have attempted to lift the net but as it was iron would weaken the minute her talons brushed its cruel wires.

Eventually she took on her human form, choosing to change sex in addition whilst doing so (as a human sex made a very slight difference to their build- their female form was slightly nimbler and faster and their male physically stronger and any advantage was one worth taking). Whilst Guy worked the four-headed dragon observed him curiously as the humanoid hacked at the rope around heavy rocks weighed the net down. After some time once all the rocks were loosened and Guy returned to his winged form and encouraged the wounded dragon to throw the net off himself.

_"Thank you, stranger. We are in your eternal debt it seems for these dragon hunters have been seeking us out a long time in vengeance for our numerous rescue attempts of others of our kind- we would not have been left alive or ever flown again. May I have a name to call you by? We are Ultra, but have individual names. I'm Shard."_ Speaking was the head covered in markings resembling ice as Ultra shouldered the net of laboriously. " _To my left is Flame, to my right Rocky and the other side of Rocky is Wisp."_

_"Gyre. I think my name will be Gyre- male or female. Do you have a safe place I can get you to nearby? I need to leave before dawn."_ Joy-G replied thoughtfully, her buttons clear of soot. Disgust-G gave an approving nod, the name was similar enough to Guy they'd all respond to it and gender neutral (not to mention it hadn't been sullied by human betrayal).


	14. The Ultra dragon has a dilemma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ultra's heads from left to right speaking mentally
> 
> [£ Is Wisp, former electric dragon. £]  
> [$ Is Rocky, former earth dragon. $]  
> {$ Is Shard, former ice dragon. $}  
> {£ Is Flame, former fire dragon. £}

Ultra struggled on valiantly, leaning heavily on the stunning dragon beside them as the pair approached the bottom of the nearest mountain and ever closer to the cave Gyre had scouted out for them to rest in. [£ Is asking if he's bonded too intrusive do you think? £] Wisp enquired mentally, bleary eyes from exhaustion wide nevertheless inspecting their rescuer.

{$ We can't afford to get distracted Wisp, pay attention to where we're stepping. $} Shard chided irritably; the former ice dragon had always functioned badly when tired.

[$ Think the stash is still there? $] Rocky mused, wistfulness colouring his tone at the thought of food.

{£ Shut up and keep climbing. £} Flame interjected, grunting in pain as their foot hit a sharp rock. Gyre stumbled beside them but pushed onward again, his flanks heaving in protest at supporting their weight (the other dragon was stunning, with glistening silver scales and striking magenta eyes, but his body shape was sleek and willowy- it was remarkable he'd managed to get this far supporting their compact, stocky frame).

Progress was slow going but eventually the dragons reached the cave, Ultra bleeding heavily from their aggravated wounds and Gyre ready to collapse from exhaustion at the lightest tail flick. Willpower had been all that kept them both going the final stretch. To Rocky's dissatisfaction there was little they'd had stashed in that particular cave, laboriously Ultra retrieved the three large fish, from the nook they'd hidden them in. Just as he was about to swallow them all down the former earth dragon paused (all four shared a stomach so it didn't matter who ate to restore their energy- Rocky just enjoyed the taste most and none of the others minded him doing most of the eating).

Gyre had yet to lie down next to them and kept one eye fixed on the cave entrance, flanks still heaving but refusing to let his muscles tense. He looked to be in terrible condition, faint white scars patterned his scales in whorls, a tight collar sat around his neck pulsing with menace occasionally glowing a sickly green, his ribs were visible, exhaustion hung to his frame and he carried a constant wariness and pain in all of his movements- aura already as good as defeated. _"Here."_ Rocky nudged one of the fish towards their rescuer, rumbling lowly, sending all of the other heads into shock. Rocky shared food with no one- not even them once he'd laid claim to a meal.

Gyre turned most of his attention towards them, indecision, longing and disbelief warring on his features. Turning his head away slightly, stiffly the other drake finally answered. _"I don't need to eat- I won't die from not doing so unlike you. I can take watch too, you need to rest if you want your injuries to heal, sleep isn't one of my requirements either so there's no need to worry I'll miss any incoming threats."_

Flame growled. _"You're exhausted and starving- eat then sleep. You look about ready to collapse- we're in better shape."_

Gyre huffed and didn't touch the food, insisting they needed it more, that he could handle himself fine.

It was Shard who eventually got him to settle at least, however his efforts to encourage the smaller dragon to eat had to be abandoned. _"We owe you- please at least let us take the main watch duties for our own sake. We believe in repaying debt appropriately."_

Begrudgingly Gyre finally folded his wings over his back and curled his legs into a comfortable position upon the stone, just out of their reach, bone weary manner not lifting but his gaze at least starting to wander from the doorway. Hesitatingly, the drake addressed them. _"I can understand not wanting to be at someone's mercy due to a debt. Can I... I was wondering... How did... Why are..."_ Wisp chirped encouragingly. He appeared to steel himself and when he spoke again his tone was deceptively uninterested, betraying nothing if they hadn't already seen his hesitation and could smell the subtle fear merging with the usual magic and night in his scent. _"Did you hatch four headed? I'm amnesic so you're the first dragon I remember meeting so excuse my ignorance concerning your situation. How do you manage with four minds?"_ His tone darkened. _"I have a second head of sorts, a human spirit bound in my body, we're fighting right now. It's why I have to leave before sunrise."_

" _We used to each have a body but we underwent a voluntary metamorphism together to become stronger and join together to serve a different rider to our original four, but of late we've cut ties with them all to pursue our own life here in liberating our people. We knew each other well before and talked everything over beforehand to ensure we could live as one and agreed about our aims."_ Gyre surveyed them with no measure of trepidation but eventually gave a non-committal hum and watched Rocky accept the fish he'd initially gifted again.

_"I might be able to help you more."_ The silver dragon didn't look at them as he spoke, studying his razor-sharp claws intently. Flicking their tail Ultra gave him the go ahead, watching in fascination as shining blue bandages shimmered into existence over the worst of their wounds while the minor ones healed over rapidly as Gyre softly pressed his snout against their beige scales and exuded a mystical blue aura. Shuffling away again their companion settled just within reach wing should they choose to extend it its full length.

Gyre didn't speak again, just watched the stars with longing throughout the passing hours, a noble elegance held within his arched neck. Ultra didn't sleep, determined to prove their word that they could provide the safety they'd promised him, injuries all but forgotten in the wake of their dedication to proving themselves trustworthy to the enigmatic dragon across from them.

{$ Why has no one taken care of him? Surely someone as kind as him has devoted allies- how can't they see his damage, his care? No dragon under Firstbourne's protection would ever be left to suffer so. $} Shard questioned anger barely suppressed.

{£ Someone's hurt him deliberately for him to think so little for his own well-being. To be so accepting of the condition he's in- not dying from too little food doesn't mean he needs to starve himself. If we ever find out who we should burn their territory to the ground. £} Flame didn't bother attempting to restrain his anger into an undercurrent, let it boil through him righteously.

[£ We can help him, right? We'll try? I'm willing to stay in this cave for months continuously courting his trust if that's what it takes. We can't abandon him. £] Wisp fretted.

[$ Won't leave. $] Rocky echoed gruffly.


	15. Zane makes a deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Is PIXAL talking to Zane from inside his systems, no one else can hear her.'

'Zane, I think there's someone outside.' PIXAL's warning woke the nindroid up in the room he shared with Cole, Jay and Kai. 'They appear to be communicating in morse code to try and meet with you alone.'

"I'll see who they are then." Zane snuck out of the room, careful not to awake his companions. 

'Just be careful.' The female nindroid added before her blue image disappeared from the corner of his vision, leaving him to walk cautiously onto the Bounty's deck as he scanned for a figure in the darkness, lighting a lantern by the door.

Dressed from head to toe in all black his potential adversary dropped down in front of the mast from his perch, camouflage hiding him outside of the dimly lit circle the lantern cast onto the floorboards. As the figure approached Zane could make out blue eyes and no visible weapons, only when they pulled their hood down to reveal silver hair pulled back into a ponytail did the ninja recognise him as their fellow prisoner from Chen's island. "I want to propose a deal- I have something you'll want and there's something you can do for me. What I'm asking is even advantageous to your interests unlike Ronin's skewed deals, you shouldn't trust him not to stab you in the back the minute it aids him."

"Guy, how did you get up here? Cole and I weren't sure what happened to you on Chen's island."

"The better question is why you don't have any alarms or defences stopping me- not even sprinklers. As Ronin's allies I'd have thought your security would be less sloppy. I have with me a scroll on all ghostly abilities and details on how they're used- in return I need you to travel somewhere to pick someone up."

'The scroll would be an invaluable advantage against Morro, not to mention Cole could use it.' PIXAL judged.

"Who would we need to find and where?" Zane asked aloud, stepping towards Guy with his hand outstretched to receive the scroll.

"Th co-ordinates are on a slip of paper within the scroll, my friends are a nindroid called Echo Zane and a cleaning bot, they're stranded currently across the sea and Echo can't protect those who can't protect themselves like he wants to away from society." Cogs whirred inside Zane's head at the familiar phrase, he accepted the scroll numbly, his creator had lived in a lighthouse...

"Oh and if we meet again don't assume I'll help you- I'm caught up in something dangerous right now." Guy said darkly, wincing slightly, just before he slipped away and disappeared from Zane's perception.

'Zane you need to tell the team about this.' PIXAL's voice of reason awoke Zane from his stupor.

"You're quite right, I'll wake the other ninja first."


	16. Zane finds Echo Zane a home

Zane watched as Dareth closed the door behind Echo intently, finding another nindroid in the lighthouse his creator had been nigh unbelievable, like unexpectedly finding a long lost sibling (he supposed that was an apt comparison in a way- Echo Zane could be considered his younger brother). Of course he'd guessed at the person's identity but seeing Echo in person had made it feel real in a way it previously hadn't. He only lamented that their rush to travel to the Wailing Alps restrained him from spending more time getting to know his found brother and his brother's miniature cleaning companion, as it was the best he could do for them was give them a home with the ninja's vain but well-meaning ally for the time being. 

'You seem troubled, was placing them with Dareth not a good idea?' PIXAL questioned from his screens, concern evident in her voice.

"It was, where he is now Echo has a chance to adjust to the world and help on a civilian level like he wants to. In turn Dareth gains some protection but also acts as a guide and companion for my new brother, living so long in the lighthouse... I knew nothing when I first travelled the world, met my friends, discovered love with you. He deserves that same chance and I want to see him grow but have an obligation to Ninjago, to Lloyd, to the other ninja that I can't turn my back on and he is not ready to make the choice of what it is he wants. Being a ninja is a choice- I chose this freely and it is my calling but I don't believe it's for him. So although I believe I'm doing the right thing I regret that I cannot stay."

'I think I understand a little, like when I urged you to go on even without me. You've become so wise. When we have time, I too am interested in getting to know Echo better, Borg would like to meet him too perhaps.' PIXAL spoke musingly, Zane's exchange with her was cut short by Jay calling for the nindroid to attend a second meeting discussing the plan before they reached the mountain later that day (especially important as Cole had missed the first reading the scroll on ghosts Zane attained from Guy- the earth ninja had clung to it as a lifeline with his new state).


	17. Entering the cloud kingdom

"I can get us into the cloud kingdom." Anger-G snarled furiously as he watched Gyre spit the words out unwillingly. Fear-G was ashen and turned to throw up over the control room floor, all up the ascent of the mountain had been a struggle of Gyre's emotions versus Schmorro's for control, with Schmorro following Morro's orders to blow the ninja off the mountain and likely kill them and Gyre desperately trying to help them in any way possible. Knowing Cole was a ghost (an **immortal** ) and Ultra's former rider leaving Gyre only more driven to not do him any permanent harm, Zane he also had a vested interest in remaining alive.

[Stop being so difficult and do as we say!] Anger-S shouted, hands curled into fists.

{We're not going to let you just walk over us.} Disgust-G hissed angrily, the expression of such a volatile emotion unusual for him.

Morro turned to look at them. "Well go on then, waiting is beneath me!" The air elemental snapped impatiently. Fear-S leaned over the control pad and harshly yanked the correct lever to push their arm forward, seizing Fear-G's hand as he did to forcibly get the other emotion to leave the controls alone.

Stiltedly Gyre raised a hand and reached with his fingers for the fabric between realms and ripped. A portal to the cloud realm standing before him. Gyre felt his body weaken and fought to stay upright, hiding his weakness from hostile eyes as best as he could but his breathing still intensified. Morro swept through first, still possessing Lloyd's body (Lloyd hadn't had a semblance of control since he'd been first possessed, he'd already given up fighting, Disgust-G scorned his weakness), Bansha and Soul Archer followed with General pulling up the ranks behind them his blade at the ready.

[Enough, you five will listen to us, **now**.] Disgust-S declared, hand on the control pad forcing a sickly green colour over the controls (their hair turned black beneath the hood and one of their eyes flickered green) in response to the mutiny brewing in Gyre’s emotions eyes. Schmorro would be the one in charge that mission.


	18. Morro adapts a deal

Ronin gripped the sword tightly in his hand as he approached his old shop, once he gave it to Morro it would all be over, his debt would finally be paid. Freedom would be his.

"Betrayed someone else?" Guy's piercing accusation from his post outside Morro's new base struck the thief viciously (as much as the realisation Guy sported black hair and a green eye still), Ronin looked ahead and walked past his former ally stoically, hand clenching the Sword of Sanctuary tighter. This new lease of life would be worth it, whatever the cost. As he'd told Nya caring was a disadvantage. Turning back had been off the tables a long time ago.

Sliding the door open Ronin was greeted by Morro sitting on a fashioned throne, the wind elemental greeted him smugly. "Good evening." General was at his right and Bansha his left. Soul Archer stood partly up the room's wall closer to Ronin and Ghoultar hovered behind him cutting off his entrance. With a hiss Nitor shoved past Ghoultar to glower at Ronin from beside the exit.

"I like what you've done with the place, pretty gutsy making your hideout right here in Stiix- so much water the ninja would never come searching here." Ronin quipped.

Morro's smirked via Lloyd's body. "I've never been afraid of anything."

Warily, Ronin handed the sword over to Ghoultar's expectant palm. Tediously slowly the Scythe wielder verified if he'd brought the actual thing before confirming it and handing it to his leader.

"Huh. For once the crook makes good." Approaching a table he'd arranged a map on Morro stabbed unhesitatingly before circling the table staring at the reflective blade, eventually identifying the location of the tomb with a smile.

Facing away from Guy's unrepentant scrutiny Ronin demanded Morro follow through with his end of the deal. Once it was paid he could cleanse his hands of the situation for good and go about his business again without a care. "And what about my soul? The deal was you'd remove my curse and free me."

"You can have your worthless soul after I get the ninja too." Nitor rolled their eyes in Ronin's peripheral vision.

"Hold on, a deal's a deal. What do you want with the ninja- you said you weren't afraid of them."

"I'm not- but our preeminent requires certain... safeguards." Morro's voice was self assured in a way that grated on the thief's nerves. The four ghosts in the room started laughing as Ronin's face morphed into horror.

"Forget it, I'll keep my cursed soul the sword's one thing but my friends are another." Ronin didn't have it in him to act against an ally again, not after what happened with Guy. A loud bang from the door sounded and the thief turned to see Guy had disappeared.

"Since when do you have friends?" Bansha cackled in his face.

Morro's face twisted into anger as he shouted out the door. "Get back here immediately! General go find them." Morro's right hand ghost grinned and left through the wall. Ronin was almost at the door before Morro returned his attention to him. "Where do you think you're going? We still have a use for you." Ghoultar's hand was heavy on Ronin's shoulder as the thief was pulled into a restraining position on his knees.


	19. Gyre revealuates some boundaries

Gyre flew clumsily, the effects of passing through her portal still lingering in her body but determined to proceed despite that. Anger-G was slumped over the control pad, exhausted from the intensity of their earlier rage and hurt and pain, taking the opportunity to rest when she could with Schmorro's emotions in their own room for the night as always. Disgust-G was similarly tired and she wore a defeated grimace- the day had gone from bad to worse, she didn't even have it in her to scorn Ronin's dedication to his new so-called friends thrice as strong as his loyalty to them had been after such a comparatively short time anymore. Fear-G sat facing away from the console, arms wrapped around her knees as she trembled regardless of Joy-G's attempts at comfort for Morro knew of their ability to walk between realms and Schmorro had proved Gyre had even less control than they'd imagined. Gyre was under no illusions she only had the body as the sand elemental allowed her to- only the nights were a reprieve from the nightmare engulfing their daylight hours.

Sadness-G was the only one touching the panel as she forlornly surveyed the gloomy grey walls of their home and dull controls. Gyre had killed someone now- a random cloud kingdom acolyte to intimidate Fenwick further. Sadness-G still felt sick, not even the idea of seeing Ultra could raise her spirits. Sadness-S' earnest apology even as Schmorro's emotions unanimously agreed to have their body do so only drove the dagger deeper (even as her heart ached to be one with him again like before too many lines had been crossed and all she felt was agony beholding him).

Blinking through haze, the dragoness tumbled out of the sky discombobulated. At the last possible moment her wings snapped out and slowed her descent, her precious cargo still barely clutched in her talons. Dropping it with a heavy thud, Gyre collapsed onto her shaking legs and felt her insides heave as she turned to face away from the cave interior. Ultra's worried rumbling echoed from the interior, Sadness-G directed their body to whirr dismissively in response. Nothing but the deer they'd brought Ultra to aid the drake's recovery mattered.

_"What's happened- has someone hurt you? Are you okay- silly question you're clearly not. How can we help? Is that overstepping? Are you alright with me asking, would you even accept our help?"_ Wisp's fretted, swinging his yellow coloured head slightly in agitation. Anger-G shot Joy-G a quelling look simultaneously as Shard huffing exasperatedly.

_"I'm fine, just focus on recovering."_ Sadness-G prompted their body to communicate through a huff of their own and chiding whistle.

_"Thanks to your earlier efforts we've healed at a remarkable rate, Rocky even directed us on a hunt yesterday. Whatever your blue power was it's a miraculous."_ Shard assured them through a series of clicks, hums and chirrs.

{If we had our memories we'd know what it was. Whereas as it is we could only access it by falling back on base instincts.} Disgust-G's grumbling went mostly unheeded by the other emotions, muffled by the desk she lay on as it was.

_"We're in good enough shape to defend the cave from any threats."_ Flame's unexpected input piqued Joy-G's interest as the former fire dragon tended to not speak aloud as much as his ice or electric counterparts.

{Is he...?} Joy-G's wavering confusion bled through her musing. {Are they...?}

{Stop it, stop that train of thought immediately.} Anger-G's words were as harsh as ever but there was no real bite behind them, they were all too tired to really fight.

Rocky nudged a small fish towards them from a position between his feet, rumbling firmly before Ultra settled down in an alert but prone position, large, scarred wings folded heavily over their back. Sadness-G had Gyre mirror him, folding their own silver wings to mirror their companion's position and shuffling into the slot they'd occupied on their previous few visits. But they left the fish lying untouched between them and the drake and merely observed Rocky finish off the deer they'd brought.

_"Gifted."_ Rocky insisted, motioning to the fish. 

{What's the point? What does food help? Why are we even here?} Sadness-G questioned in a dull monotone, hysteria only creeping in only at the last of her questions.

Fear-G gave a short pained laugh and directed them to paralysingly slowly reach to snag the prey with their claw and after smelling it suspiciously nibbled on the tail daintily. {We all know why we're here- we have nowhere else to go and it's the only thing we can control in our forsaken existence. As even if we dread being vulnerable in any way ever again we're still repentantly attached.}

{We shouldn't be, Ultra could do so much better.} Anger-G and Sadness-G commented churlishly at the same time, tone's equally defeated.

{As for the food, it'd be rude to reject, Schmorro hasn't trained every civility out of us yet.} There was a hint of a snarl returned to Disgust-G's voice, inner fire not extinguished completely. {Ultra's the one thing Schmorro hasn't touched and we'll fight with everything we have left to keep it that way.}

Some of the fight seemed renewed in Anger-G. {We'll ensure things stay that way, we have nothing else to lose. **No one** gets to take Ultra away too.}

Beside them the beige scaled drake's four head appeared in deep conversation with another, Flame baring his teeth occasionally and snapping at thin air, Wisp bobbing his head nervously, Rocky breathing heavily and Shard rolling his eyes. Their muscular wings sometimes twitched and their back spines bristled momentarily before they flicked their tail irritably before visibly making an effort to calm themself and inching half a metre across the stone floor of the cave instantly catching Gyre's attention. 

Inhaling softly she let the nearer scent of frozen earth on a winter's day and scorched trees like the wood from a campfire calm her heart rate. Ever so slowly, ready to leap back at the slightest movement the dragoness did likewise before letting her wings spill out from their fixed position minutely into an almost neat, elegant sprawl. Ultra let out the four breaths they were holding and fixed two of their heads on flumping downwards at her eye level, not statue still but at a restful peace with the remaining two as promised fixed surveying the land outside the cave, solemn sentries through the starlit night.


	20. Seeking the realm crystal

All ten of the emotions lay on the floor of the control room, twitching agonisingly after their curse flared up ruthlessly. Fear-S was the first to drag himself up and force their body to do the same despite its increasingly shallow breathing as Fear-G's panic at being in a cave resurfaced.

[Stop turning the room purple now.] Disgust-S' command was harsh as ever, his hand hovering threateningly on his sword.

{Please, you won't use it as if you make this that kind of fight you risk getting yourself removed from influencing the rest of this mission entirely.} Disgust-G drawled, tauntingly reclining in his chair he'd heaved himself into regardless of his still mostly numb legs.

[You want to try us?] Joy-S' delight at the possibility ill contained coupled with a cruel smirk.

Huffing, Joy-G reached out a hand to Fear-G and helped him to his feet gently. {Well this way we don't have to deal with General, Bansha, Soul Archer or Ghoultar for a bit even if it is a cave.} Gyre's other emotion seemed somewhat comforted by that reminder, General was thoroughly unpleasant for all of them to deal with.

[We need to catch up with Morro.] Sadness-S' murmured, studying his hands vacantly, pointedly not glancing at Sadness-G who sat listlessly leaning against his own chair facing the personality islands instead of the outside world. Fear-S responded by slamming his hand down on the controls so hard Gyre's body jerked forward immediately.

{You can't keep this up forever, we'll win and you'll regret this.} Anger-G snarled, his face twisted darkly.

[We can do this as long as we need to.] Sneering, Joy-S retorted leaning forwards mockingly as if conspiratorially.

“You can’t trap me ninja! I’ll find you!” Morro’s ominous warning finally alerted them to his location, vaulting over the walk they saw the icicles he’d trapped himself in.

“Wow, nice work there, you know I told you to wait up.” Disgust-G snarked, studying their nails disinterestedly.

“JUST GET ME OUT!!” Clutching their head after the ear splitting command, Fear-G trembled but fought valiantly against Fear-S’ domineering hold to continue his moving of their body to no avail.

After clearing away the spikes in one quick movement of spinjitzu Fear-S directed them to shoot up alongside Morro (still in Lloyd’s body) with airjitzy to be clear of the regrowing spiked. Anger-G snarled and only Joy-G's resigned restraining of the red haired emotion prevented a full scale war from breaking out between them all- Anger-S grinned at the effectiveness of his taunt but didn't lunge at his counterpart (all ten were aware they couldn't truly risk leaving their opposite the sole operator for each emotion, Gyre and Schmorro had too much invested in the results of the venture).

“Find them!” Was the next thing to leave Lloyd’s mouth before Morro vacated the green ninja’s body to stand before them in his incorporeal ghostly body again. Anger-G growled but remained put when they were given little choice but to lead their captor the direction to the crack they’d seen the ninja descend. Clutching Lloyd's body with one hand, Morro jumped first, impatience evident by his especially irritated body language.

Fluorescent blue lines decorated the next cave they came to just in time to hear the tail end of Kai’s question. “-does it work?”

“How it works is you give it to me or say goodbye to your friend.” Morro's voice was edged with the same desperate wrath that drove him to grasp onto the idea of destiny proving his worth in the first place.

“I- I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.” Vulnerability so openly expressed in front of hostiles was something Lloyd should have learned to crush by this point, even if in this case there was no face to be saved with the ghost trapping him already intimately aware of every weakness within the blonde boy.

“So what’ll it be?” Upon the ninja the query fell heavily as they huddled debating their answers in hushed whispers, Kai furiously protective, Jay clearly conflicted, Zane deep in thought and Cole obviously equally troubled. 

{They'll choose wrong- they're sentimental fools.} Disgust-G remarked derogatively.

[I certainly hope so.] Nothing about Joy-S' smile was welcoming.


	21. Saving Lloyd

Cole shot a worried glance over at Zane and Jay, who were desperately staving off Morro's attacks with little luck but just about managing. Lloyd was in an even worse position, barely able to stay afloat in the freezing river Morro'd chucked him into, with the green ninja's strength as weak as it was. Kai ran frantically to keep up with the kid being pulled away by the flowing water, an outstretched hand extended to its furthest.

"Duck!" Strangled and raspy, the warning sounded from beside the earth ninja, who returned his attention to his own battle. Guy's blade narrowly missed where his head had been, the black-haired companion of Morro sporting a set of mismatched blue and green eyes coupled with a scowl upon his face visible only as Cole had slashed away the dark cloth concealing his adversary's face with his last attack. 

The other fighter seeming to brush off any pain from the cut across his cheek, grim determination unmatched by any foe Cole had faced before, but erratic in a way no other opponent had been. With precision and flawless attacks scuffed up or aborted at the last minute by jerking his hands, dodging unnecessarily or plain dropping then re-catching his sword. Not to mention the occasional warning he'd give Cole before strikes that were almost true and final.

"Guy, I can tell you don't want to fight. We don't have to if you just let me help me friends and stay out of this if you can't help."

Harsh laughter was the only response, as Guy whirled around into a second attack that Cole blocked, the ghost sent an agonised look towards his still struggling comrades, plea met on deaf ears. When he turned back his opponent had fallen to his knees, clutching at his neck and rocking back and forth on the spot, with a fleeting pulse of regret Cole turned to sprint towards Kai, now desperately flailing to keep himself and Lloyd afloat in the water. Tense seconds later Cole missed his hand, only catching his allies on a second swipe just before they passed over the edge of the waterfall (a waterfall that if the ghost touched he'd die instantly). 

"He got away! Morro took the realm crystal and left!" Jay's despairing call brought the three collapsed on the riverbank back to reality, Lloyd had may have been saved but they'd failed their mission.

"It appears Morro didn't take his ally with him. Perhaps we can get more information about Morro's plans from him if we take him back to Sensei." Zane's robotic voice as even as ever, the nindroid looked at the spasming figure prone on the ground before him. Guy spat out blood on the ground at Zane's feet, a choked scream immediately escaping his throat before he slammed his mouth shut again and curling up tighter, face twisted in pain.

"I'll take him." Cole stated, hefting his once cellmate into his translucent arms without hesitation. Touch was different as a ghost, normally requiring intense concentration and still lesser than it had been before, but Guy's body was as solid as deepstone in his arms (and something quiet at the back of his mind whispered that he was warm too, he'd not felt temperature since becoming a ghost). Tearing his focus away from the blissful sensation in his otherwise unchanging body he reminded himself why they were bringing their enemy with them, Lloyd was safe and his team was together and any thoughts spared for someone who'd aid Morro in wreaking havoc and hurting his friends he refused to acknowledge.


End file.
